The Little Things
by Trivette Lover Heather
Summary: It was going to be the little things that Nash would miss the most.
1. Chapter 1

The Little Things

By: Trivette Lover Heather

AN: It's been a long while since I've written a Nash fic. I'm all of a sudden starting to write a little bit more. Let's see how this goes. Please review, it helps me, help you.

--

"Don't worry about it bubba."

His head turned quickly to the end of the grocery line. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Nash looked embarrassed. "No, I'm sorry; I thought I heard someone I knew."

It had been three months since his partner Joe had been killed and it was supposed to be getting easier. Simple things jarred Nash's memories and it wasn't the first time the word "bubba," caused him to do a double take.

He left the check out laughing to himself about what had just happened and made his way out to the Cuda. He was still shaking his head as he put the groceries in the trunk and got into the drivers seat. He glanced quickly at the empty seat next to him and couldn't help but smile. "You just keep making me make a fool of myself, even when you're not even here."

-

He was in the midst of renovating his apartment as well as doing some painting and refurnishing, he felt it was time for a change. He stepped around all the mess on the floor and set the groceries down in the kitchen.

"Nick, I'm back."

His father also stumbled around the mess and stood across from him. "How was work?"

Nash sighed. "I wasn't at work Nick, I just went to the grocery store….remember? You sent me out to get you some Cheez Its?"

"Oh yeah! Well did you get them?"

"Of course." He reached into the bag. "Here you go your majesty."

Nick smiled. "Great, now if I could only find the couch to watch some TV."

"Very funny…the guy told me he'd have all this stuff cleaned up by Thursday."

"Today is Thursday."

"Oh. Well crap. I'll have to give him a call then."

"Yeah, son, you do that, in the mean time, I'll be in your bedroom watching General Hospital."

"Oh sure go right ahead…I mean why would I have any use for my room while I'm home." He waved his hands up in the air and let them fall to his sides as he watched his Father slide his bedroom door shut.

"Geez, I get the guy some Cheez Its and before you know it he thinks he owns me."

Just then his cell phone rang. "Nash."

"Hey Nash, Its Harv…"

"Figures, you're the only one who ever calls me now a days anyway…"

"I love you too boss…there was a robbery homicide at Town Center Liquor store this afternoon. The store owner was killed and his son is in critical condition at Mercy General."

"And why is this an SIU problem?"

"Turns out the shooter used a 64 Glock…"

Nash then got interested. "Same gun used…"

"Yeah I thought that would interest you….its rare boss….I mean its worth following down the leads. You just never know."

"Alright Harv, do you're thing, I'll be down there in twenty."

It was unspoken that everyone wanted to find who had killed one of their detectives, and the only lead they had was that the bullets used came from a rare glock pistol, that the city had never seen before.

"What do we got?" Nash entered the SIU with the presence he always had.

"We got the video from the security camera…his photo is out to all the stations…they know he's suspect in Joes death…there's bound to be a hit somewhere soon."

Nash winced at the words, Joe and Death, being used in the same sentence; it had been a while since he had heard them.

"Alright…did we sweep the scene…any prints?"

"Nope, clean, but once we get a hit on where he is, we'll take him down and know more about him than his own mother does." Harvey replied.

"That's why I love you Harvey, never at a loss for a cliché. Keep this up, I'm gonna grab some coffee, I want to be first one scene when we spot him."

"As it should be." Harvey replied with a nod.

As Nash started to walk away, Harvey hollered. "Hey Nash, you know this may not even be who we're looking for."

Nash nodded. "I know, but its something…its something."

Nash headed up the stairs to grab his usual cup of coffee, as he sat at his desk, the picture frame staring back at him made his heart ache. He closed his eyes briefly and remembered getting the call that his partner had been killed when he walked into a robbery in progress downtown. He remembered that that night Joe was coming over to watch the Giants game on the new big screen TV Nash had just bought as part of his refurnishing kick. He smiled because Joe kept picking on him about this being a mid life crisis and that the project would never get finished.

He then spilled some of his coffee as his phone rang.

"We got em boss, a UNI spotted hi, ten miles south of Fresno Blvd."

He set down his coffee and headed down the steps. "Lets go."


	2. Choice and Absolution

Little Things – Final Chapter

By: Trivette Lover Heather

"Choices and Absolution"

--

"He's held up in that pawn shop on the corner…Unit's surrounded the place, SWAT is on call…"

As the two arrived on the scene, all eyes turned to Nash as it had gotten around quickly that this was a possible suspect who had killed his partner only three months ago.

"I'm gonna go in." Nash uttered hastily.

Harvey smirked and almost chuckled. "Yeah right boss…that's not get too crazy, we haven't even talked to him yet."

Nash looked over at Harvey. "Alright, get him on the phone. We gotta know."

"Negotiator is working on it…we'll find out."

Hours passed before the guy made contact with the negotiator.

"He's giving himself up." Was the call that went out on the radios.

Nash looked up intently as he saw the guy walk out and place his gun on the ground. Officers jumped on him quickly, searching him and cuffing him. Nash looked on, not making any moves.

"Take him to the SIU lock up." Were the only words that came out of Nash's mouth until they reached the SIU.

"He's upstairs boss."

"Yeah I know…lets go." Nash replied, starting for the stairs.

As he approached the table, he saw that the mans head was down and he was crying. Nash pulled up a chair.

"Daniel." Nash looked at the file then back up at the young man.

He looked back up and Nash. "I'm sorry." He replied immediately without even an accusation being made.

"I know why I'm here…they don't bring thieves to this place…I shot someone that worked here didn't I? I saw it on the news…I didn't know he was a cop….I swear I didn't…he just walked in…it freaked me out…so I just fired…I didn't know…please don't kill me…please…"

As Nash listened his eyes started to tear up himself. "That's not up to me…and I think you're lucky that it isn't…"

"Please…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…all I wanted to do was rob the place…I wasn't planning on killing anybody…"

"Listen kid…when you commit a crime, you may not mean for it to escalate, but you made a bad choice…and it affected more lives that you could imagine…that cop you killed…" Nash stopped to compose himself. "He was a Father…a new Father to a baby girl…six months old…he was my friend…twenty six years….he was a good man and you're stupid choice…cost his daughter to grow up without a father…and that is something your tears and guilt wont be able to replace…so you can sit here and cry…but I am not the person you need to be asking forgiveness from…you're gonna have a long time to think about what you did kid…and I sure as hell aint gonna be the one to grant you absolution…"

He stood up and stared at the kid for a moment. "You took away from me, the best friend I ever had in this God forsaken world…so you look into **_my _**tear filled eyes…and put yourself in my shoes…would you be able to forgive you?"

It was silent for a few seconds but Nash wasn't finished. "Cuz I wouldn't. And the tears you're crying now, are nothing compared to the tears I had to watch fall from his wives eyes when I told her, her husband wasn't coming home again…and nothing compared to the heart ache I feel waking up every morning without him here…but I can tell you that those tears wont do you any good where you are headed…cuz I am not Christ bubba, but it is my suggestion to you that you get to know him real soon…"

With that last statement he turned and walked away. He headed straight downstairs to the Cuda and started it up. As he put his hand down to shift gears, he once again glanced at the empty seat beside him and fell into a bit of tears. His shoulders shook uncontrollably and Harvey watched from the SIU doors. He contemplated going out there to comfort him but knew Nash better than that. No one could ever talk with Nash like Joe could or be there for him they way Joe could. Now wasn't the time to try to replace that part in Nash's life and Harvey wasn't going to try.

As the sun started to set, Nash had gathered himself just in time to see the kid being escorted out of the SIU into a patrol car. The kid saw Nash in the Cuda on the way out…

"I'M SORRY!" He shouted before he was put into the car.

Nash just stared. "I know kid…so am I." He shifted the Cuda into gear and headed home.

--

"Hi Son, how was work?" Nick asked sitting in the kitchen as he watched Nash come in. As Nash got closer he could see his son's eyes looked tired. "What happened?"

Nash smiled. Nick always knew when something was up. Nash figured he'd be straight forward. "Caught Joe's killer today…some 19 year old kid…"

Nick sighed. "I see…well he's no kid Nash…he made his own choices…"

"Please Nick, I've talked enough today about his choices...I'd just rather get this place cleaned up…"

"Why the sudden urge to clean son? It's been like this for almost 3 months now."

"Well then…its way overdue….so you gonna help or what?"

Nick was amazed how his son could talk so seriously one minute and turn to work the next. "Yeah sure, but I'm gonna need to take some breaks."

Nash smiled. "Sure dad, whatever you need!"

The two worked half the night, until Nick headed for bed. Nash stayed up the rest of the night and into the morning finishing up. With the last trash bag tied up and set next to the door, he sat down on his new couch and put his feet up.

He sighed in accomplishment. "Wish you were here to see it partner."

--

THE END! Please review! It helps me, help you.

-TLH †


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